The rise of women in Italian politics

From Laura Boldrini and Cecile Kyenge to Emma Bonino, Italian politics has recently been revitalised by a new generation of active female politicians. Can they be a force for good in Italian politics?

Laura Boldrini, President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. Demotix/Simona Granati. All rights reserved.

A couple of
weeks ago, Silvio Berlusconi was condemned to four years in prison for tax
evasion. This didn't come as a surprise to anybody, as it is not exceptional for
an Italian minister to find himself having trouble with the law. Corruption
is commonplace. The Italian government has recently been rated among the least
efficient in the world, alongside Ukraine, Greece and Venezuela. And it is
not a stable political system either - Italy has had more than fifty different governments
since the Second World War.

The Italian
elections on 24-5 February demonstrated the stalemate at the heart of the
Italian political scene. None of the traditional parties gained a majority.
Berlusconi’s right-wing coalition gained 29.18 percent of the vote; the left-wing
coalition got 29.54 percent; the Five Star Movement founded by comedian Beppe
Grillo on an 'anti-politics' platform won a surprising 25.5 percent. But none
was able to form a majority government. After weeks of gridlock, President
Giorgio Napolitano appointed Enrico Letta, a member of the left-wing Democratic
Party (PD), to form a coalition government. Letta is now the non-elected Prime
Minister of Italy. His government can survive only as long as the left-wing and
right-wing parties are willing to compromise. Many observers – Italian and
foreign – are surprised the government has made it this far, but for how long? For
now, the Italian political panorama looks dire.

But there is at
least one positive thing about the recent Italian elections: the percentage of
women elected to parliament increased from 20 to 30 percent. The elected MPs
are younger than usual, too. This result comes as a surprise to many, since,
according to a study by the Inter Parliamentary Union, the proportion of women
in Italian politics before the last election was one of the lowest in the
world.

On 16 March,
the Parliament elected the new president of the Italian Camera (Chamber of Deputies, also known as the Lower Chamber),
Laura Boldrini. She is the third woman ever to be in that role. “Perhaps next
time the fact that a woman acts in this role won’t count as a piece of news any
more”, commented Irene Pivetti, who held
the role in 1994-1996.

Judging by
Boldrini’s first speech in Parliament, her election could mark the start of a
new era in Italian politics. The 51-year-old politician addressed a bunch of
delicate issues that politicians tend to avoid with care. For instance: a
significant minority of Italians still has sympathy for Fascism. Most Italian
politicians are well aware of this: this is why, for example, Berlusconi
declared that “Fascism also did some good things” a week before the election,
on the assumption that this would bring him more votes. In contrast, Boldrini emphasised
that Italian democracy was born to free the country from Fascism.

Another example
is the delicate issue of suspected connections between the mafia and Italian
politics. Boldrini pointed out how many innocent people had died because of their fight
against the mafia and how the country is indebted to them. She also pointed to
the need for a transparent political system, and the hopelessness that is
afflicting many Italians at the moment.

But Boldrini's
boldest words came when she talked about women. Violence against women remains
an everyday occurrence in Italy. In 2012, one woman was killed every three days
as a result of domestic violence. This year, there have already been more than
50 victims. Moreover, there is a culture of silence about violence against
women – omertà,
almost. Boldrini broke the silence: “We know that we have to take care of the
women who have suffered from violence disguised as love”, she said.

When Boldrini
spoke up for women, there was a standing
ovation in the Parliament. This was an incredibly moving sight for an
Italian. When something noisy happens in my Parliament, it is generally because
one MP loudly insults another and a quarrel starts across the aisles.

Boldrini's CV
is as impressive as her words. She is a former journalist who was subsequently
involved in the UN for several years. After working at the Food and Agriculture
Organization and the World Food Programme, she has been the spokesperson for
the United Nations Refugee Agency, supporting projects in Iraq, the Balkans and
Georgia. She entered the world of politics just recently, with the left-wing
Left Ecology Freedom (SEL) party, an ally of Pierluigi Bersani's Democratic
Party. “I did it because I was feeling indignant about Italian politics”, she
said, adding that “one can’t confine oneself to complaining”.

Boldrini seems
to have a clear idea about how politics should work. She asked her colleagues
to make the Camera “the house of good
politics”. Her speech closed thus: “Politics has to become transparent, and our
passion”. Unbelievably, these words were spoken in Italy, in a Parliament that
has seen so many cynical and opaque moves.

Does this mean
a feminine wave has taken over Italian politics? In April Enrico Letta, the
Prime Minister, made history by appointing more women MPs to the cabinet than
any previous Italian government. Seven of the twenty-one cabinet ministers he
appointed were women. It's still far from a 50-50 balance, but a record
nonetheless.

The women Letta
chose are exceptionally well qualified, and occupy key positions. The Foreign
Minister is the former European commissioner Emma Bonino, a senior member of
the small Radical Party. The Integration Minister is Cecile Kyenge, a member of
the Democratic Party – who is also Italy's first black minister, another first for
Letta’s government. Kyenge is a doctor who was born in the Democratic Republic
of Congo. Since 2002, Kyenge has been leading several intercultural
associations that defend the rights of immigrants and support cooperation
between Italy and Africa, such as the association Primo Marzo.
"Letta's decision represents a key step for concrete change in Italy"
she said.

But despite
these advances, life is not easy for Italian women in politics. The country has
a long history of misogyny. Stefano Rodotà, a now retired MP who served in
Parliament since 1979, remembers how MPs used to elect “Miss Montecitorio”, singling
out the most beautiful female MP (‘Montecitorio’ is the name of the Italian
Parliament building). “Now things are much worse”, he adds. And he is right. Female Italian politicians face
serious insults and threats on a daily basis. Boldrini receives constant threats, including constructed images of her being raped and of her throat being slit. So does Kyenge, who
also has to deal with racism. She is often the target of the anti-immigration
Northern League. And recently, someone threw bananas at her during a public
meeting.

Even in this
climate, women work hard for political change. “I am not afraid”, Boldrini
declares, “fear paralyzes; politicians have to be brave and act”. She does not
want bodyguards, and in the face of threats from internet trolls, she demands a
law that deals with online threats, which Italy lacks. Kyenge is just as brave.
“I came to Italy alone from Congo when I was 18 and I am not going to stop when faced by the odd obstacle”, she said. No wonder this leads to praise.

Every new
speech by Boldrini gets heavy media coverage. The last time I saw the headline
“Boldrini moved the crowd” in a newspaper? A few days ago. The last time she wrote a
much circulated article in a major Italian newspaper? The day after that. And there are
results. Traditionally the President of the Lower Chamber does not put forward
law proposals and does not vote. Boldrini respects this tradition, but
nevertheless effectively advocates that the Parliament pursues policies. One
thing she actively pursues is the reduction of the cost of Italian politics,
which is notoriously one of the highest in Europe. Interestingly enough, after
years of pay increases, the Parliament has just approved around 10 million
euros in cuts to the MPs’ salaries over the last months. Boldrini supported
these measures and asked for further steps to be taken in the same direction.

Another hot and
complex issue in Italy is immigration. The number of immigrants has been
consistently high in recent decades, and is presently increasing because of the
unstable political situation in North Africa. In this first half of 2012, there
was a 175 percent increase in immigrants reaching the coasts of southern Italy in comparison with the same period the previous year.
Many die on the journey, and the mayor of Lampedusa,
Giusi Nicolini – yes, that’s another woman politician - has publicly asked
Italy and Europe for help.

The Italian law
on immigration is restrictive. Second-generation immigrants are denied
citizenship despite being born in Italy till they are 18 years old.
First-generation immigrants get permission to stay only if they already have a
working contract waiting for them once they reach Italy. If they come to Italy
without a job offer, they have to be repatriated. Given a notoriously slow
judicial system, illegal immigrants often spend several months in CIEs
(identification and expulsion centres) before getting repatriated. In 2011, the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
officially asked Italy to improve the living conditions in CIEs, but nothing
has changed yet.

Kyenge backs a
new law on immigration. She proposed a more moderate ius soli, which
would grant citizenship to
anyone who is born in Italy from foreigners who have been legally residing in
Italy for at least one year, or who was born in Italy and spent a certain
number of years living in Italy.

Revising
Italy’s immigration laws would be revolutionary. Which is why the Northern
League disapproves. This disapproval often manifests itself in personal attacks
against Kyenge, with racist remarks - “this is the government of bonga-bonga”, recently
declared a Northern League MP.

But Kyenge is
still doing her job. Last week, she launched a long-term anti-discrimination
plan, in collaboration with the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policies
Maria Cecilia Guerra – another woman! - and the National Office Against Racial
Discrimination (UNAR). The main idea is to “work from below”: local councils
and associations will have to put forward specific proposals for improving
discrimination issues in their areas, with special attention being given to
employment and education. The goal is to tackle gender and racial
discrimination, by identifying and removing obstacles to equality - for
instance, by allowing everyone access to social and health services. Kyenge also
incessantly promotes campaigns against racism. Recently, she publicly supported
an anti-racism organisation which sells T-shirts saying “if you close off
racism, a world opens up to you”.

There are
further examples of women politicians who are doing well. Anna Maria
Cancellieri, the current Minister of Justice, put forward a decree to
depopulate the notoriously overcrowded Italian prisons. The Foreign Minister
Emma Bonino works towards rebuilding Italy’s international credibility - a
hard task after Berlusconi’s era. Her reputation of intransigence against
corruption should prove helpful. So far,
her main policy has been to promote Italy’s involvement abroad through more
active consulates and embassies. Recently, she pressed the Government to accept
102 immigrants coming on a boat from Libya - among them were five pregnant
women and several children. Malta did not let them approach its harbour,
despite several pledges from the EU. “One cannot let people die at sea”, Bonino
declared. She also actively promotes the abolition of death penalty and torture
worldwide.

Italian female
politicians also back measures against violence against women. Italy recently
ratified the Istanbul Convention, a 2011 Council of Europe document on tackling
violence against women. The country is thus one of the first five European
countries to ratify the Convention. The Government approved a major decree on
violence against women a few days ago. “The anti-femicide decree”, as they call
it, allows people to anonymously report instances of violence against women. Women who
have been the victim of violence and can’t afford a lawyer will get one for free.
Women immigrants who have been abused will be granted permission to stay.
Boldrini asked the Parliament to reunite this week – well before the official
end of the summer break, on 6 September - to pass the decree.

It is a happy
beginning for Boldrini&Co. Italy's new wave of female politicians is, so
far, having a strong public impact on a society which tends not to take women
seriously, and was forgetting how politicians can publicly promote good change. But will they manage to put Italy's politics on a better track?

The author wishes to thank David Egan for his help in editing this article.

About the author

Simona Aimar is a PhD candidate at Oxford University, where she studies philosophy. She was a College Lecturer in philosophy at Exeter College and Worcester College at Oxford.

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